Rose Gudmundson

Rose Gudmundson - “The best gift a child could receive.”

Rose was born July 17, 1922 at home in Mountain, ND, the third child of Stina and Chris Gudmundson. She grew up with her brother Eddie and her sister May, attended school in Mountain and graduated high school in 1940. At the age of 18, after a summer of teacher training, she signed a contract to teach at Sunnyside School, ND. The one-room school house had eight students in four grades.

From 1943-46 Rose served in the United States Navy (WAVES). Her assignments took her to New York, Georgia, California, Kansas, Michigan and Ohio. At the end of the war she attended Mayville State College graduating in 1950 with a B.Sc. degree in elementary education. She went on to teach in Grafton, Grand Forks, Aneta, Wallhalla, Mountain, ND, and Seattle, WA. Then she moved to Fargo, ND to teach third grade at Washington Elementary School, and pursued further education studies at Moorhead State College, Concordia College, and North Dakota State University.

In 1978 she received the North Dakota Teacher of the Year Award. At that time Fargo Superintendent, Vern Bennett in praise of Rose said, “Every child is special to Rose and thus each child under her guidance develops self confidence - the key to positive learning. Rose has touched many lives and made them grow in new, positive and unexplored directions.” This might explain why so many of her students continued to keep in contact with her.

Retiring from teaching in 1983, Rose became an active member of the Retired Teachers Association of Fargo and Cass County. She volunteered at Bethany Homes in Fargo and was an enthusiastic participant in the Fargo Moorhead Icelandic Club. For many years she was also a steadfast member of Olivet Lutheran Church in Fargo. Throughout her life, Mountain had been an important and constant touchstone for Rose, as is her Icelandic heritage. She may well have been the best ever ambassador for Mountain and Iceland.

Rose passed away on Saturday, March 7, with her friend of 58 years, Jeanette Stone by her side. She was preceded in death by her parents Stina and Chris Gudmundson, her sister Kathryn May Hermann and her grand-nephew Cory Renick. She is survived by her brother Eddie Gudmundson, four nieces; Sharon Orcutt, Susan Atwood (Gary), Sandy Renick (Brud) and Christina (Eric) Eldridge, two nephews; Curt Gudmundson (Pam) and Wayne Gudmundson (Jane), her grand-nephews; Kurt Jones, Joe Renick, Peter Gudmundson, Randy Rinaldi; grand-nieces; Lisa Vertin, Hayley Ellis, Sonja Morella, Liv Gudmundson, and numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews.